PC Workshop came across this advice for online shopping to try and take the fear out of being defrauded and thought it was sensible to share these few gems of wisdom.

Whether you’re booking tickets, buying clothes or purchasing items from an auction site, you can pay for many things online these days.

But you need to take care when you are making online transactions…
Reputable and secure sites
Online shopping with credit cards

How to pay for things online

Before you type your card details into a website, ensure that the site is secure. Look out for a small padlock symbol in the address bar (or elsewhere in your browser window) and a web address beginning with https:// (the s stands for ‘secure’).

You also need to check that the website is trustworthy. Here are a few suggestions for ways in which you can reduce the risk of using an untrustworthy site:

Be suspicious of offers that seem too good to be true. This could indicate that a site might be selling illegal or pirated items.
If you’re not familiar with the website, you could ask trusted friends, colleagues or family members for their opinion. They might be able to offer you recommendations for alternatives.
You could also do an internet search to see if the site you are investigating is mentioned favorably on sites you already trust.

PC Workshopthinks its good to know you have a fall back if all goes wrong so read below, hopefully you will never need it!!

Cards and consumer rights

If you buy something online that’s worth more than £100, then it’s best to use a credit card rather than a debit card. This is because if you spend more than £100 on your credit card, you have legal rights under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

You get similar protection – from something called ‘chargeback’ – for purchases of under £100. This applies whether you paid by debit or credit card.

In certain circumstances, chargeback allows you to ask your card provider to reverse a transaction if there’s a problem with an item you’ve bought. It’s not a legal obligation, but it is part of a set of rules which various banks subscribe to. Your card provider will be able to provide you with more information on its own process for chargeback claims.

It’s important to know that if you buy online you may have the right to a refund if you are not happy with any items purchased.

Under ‘distance selling regulations’, you may be entitled to a full refund for certain goods if you decide – within seven days of receiving your items – that you want to return them. And, in some cases, you may be entitled to a refund from the seller if your items don’t arrive within a reasonable time period (usually 30 days).

PC Workshop intends to bring you more articles to try and ensure your safety, and increase your knowledge over the next few months.